People look up to Jacques Mesrine as if he were a Robin Hood, stealing from the rich, but he never gave anything back to anybody.

I come from an acting family, my father was an actor, and I had to fight my way and just create my own identity.

I think American audiences like gangster movies. It's part of the culture.

The minute I started being recognised, I became much more discreet.

I really like romantic comedies and light movies and everything but I think - I don't know where it comes from - but when you're doing violent movies, you're closer to reality.

La Haine - first of all, it was the story of friendship. I was very close with Mathieu Kassovitz; he was somebody I met in the nights of Paris. And the hip-hop scene and all that... You know, it was very much about doing our own thing, and some of the subject matter was so close to what we knew and the people we were hanging out with.

And now I have a big house, nice clothes and I travel in first class and I love it, so maybe it's time to enjoy being a star.